Coco Chanel was the poster child for high fashion—and high status. So when she came back from a cruise with a deep golden tan in the 1920s, it's no wonder her fans began adapting darker skin tones too. Sporting a bronzed glow sent the message that one was wealthy enough to afford a leisurely outdoor life and by the 1930s sunlight was touted as a cure for everything from acne to tuberculosis. The result: Tanning oil became a beauty staple through the 1980s and was applied as vigorously as SPF lotion is today.

Now:
A little sun can perk up your complexion, but even a slight tan represents injury to your largest organ (your skin). SPF is a must-wear for every day—including during the winter and in the shade. Experts say the incidental sun exposure you get while driving in the car or walking to lunch is enough to meet your daily vitamin D quota, and recommend reapplying sunscreen every couple of hours. Photo: Retna

A 1920 beauty article in McCall's Magazine advised readers to use a daily eyewash for "sparkling eyes" that are "great to look at." The author suggested that women create said eyewash by mixing "a half teaspoonful of powerful boracic acid and two or three drops of camphor" with hot water. To further beautify the eyes, it was recommended that lashes be trimmed every six months to promote their growth.

Now:
Instead of enduring questionable eye mixtures and stubby lashes—trimming them won't make them grow in thicker!—try a saline solution for the occasional eye irritation and a lash conditioner for lengthier fringe. Photo: Imaxtree

According to 1930's The Art of Feminine Beauty by Helena Rubinstein, beef could provide a fabulous facial: "Cut pieces of paper—a strip to cover the forehead, another for cheeks, chin, and a thin narrow strip for the nose. Give your pattern to the butcher, who will cut the meat accordingly. Leave openings around the eyes and lips. Pack the meat over your skin and secure it with a strip of muslin. Leave it on one to two hours or overnight if possible."

There are other (less messy) ways to give your skin a dose of moisture and protein. From caviar facials to seaweed masks, you can keep your complexion looking its best with the help of an aesthetician or a jar—not the butcher—thanks to products like Kiehl's Panthenol Protein Moisturizing Face Cream. Photo: Retna

Many women in the early twentieth century would combine petroleum jelly and coal dust to create a lash darkener. Others would use burnt cork or a mixture of frankincense, resin, and mastic.

Now:
After observing his sister Mabel blend Vaseline and coal dust, Maybelline founder T.L. Williams got the idea to create mascara. In 1917, he introduced a cake mascara which was applied with a wet brush and by 1932 Maybelline mascara could be found in drugstores nationwide. 1958 saw the first tube mascara, which was released by Revlon and referred to as "Roll-On Mascara." Photo: Imaxtree

In the 1940s, the 5-Day Pad advertised itself as "a starched white organdy frill on a delicate wrist" that would make "underarms dry as desert wind, odorless and sweet."

Now:
Sorry, 5-Day Pad: Despite your claim that your antiperspirent was "really effective and the handiest method ever devised," technology has come a long way! Rather than wear awkward pads under your pits, now you can spread on a superthin layer of deodorant instead. Photo: Retna

Women used to slather their faces with rich creams and sleep on them overnight, thinking that this would lead to smoother skin and less wrinkles. A 1940s print ad for Bonne Bell's Plus 30 Cream boasted that "overnight your skin can absorb the active hormones in Plus 30 Cream. The result? A fresher, younger look—in only a few wonderful 'story book' days."

In the 1940s, print ads for Pepsodent Toothpaste claimed that its ingredient irium would whiten teeth and fight tooth decay.

Now:
As it turns out, "irium" was just a fancy word for sodium lauryl sulfate, a foaming agent still found in toothpastes today. "The advertising jingle in praise of irium sold tons of Pepsodent—even though irium didn't exist," said then-FCC chairman Reed E. Hundt in a 1994 speech. Pepsodent continued to be popular through the 1940s, but by the mid-1950s was surpassed by Crest, Gleem, and Colgate because these brands were quicker to add fluoride—a real, actually effective ingredient—to their formulas. Photo: Retna

Remember the Mad Men episode in which Peggy tests out the "Electrosizer," a weight loss invention that came in the form of a vibrating, pink plastic belt? In the 1950s, a similar weight loss contraption—Stauffer's Magic Couch—was being marketed toward housewives. Basically a folding table with a central oscillating unit that strapped across the user's waist, the Magic Couch claimed to be "effortless exercise—without work or strain."

Now:
In actuality, menthol can result in itching and inflammation. Even worse, the fluoride in toothpastes can cause further acne flare-ups. An aspirin and aloe paste is a more skin-friendly home remedy. But for a surefire approach, use an over-the-counter treatment with salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. Photo: Retna

Then: Brushing hair in 100 strokes would make it lustrous and healthy.

From the time of Scarlett O'Hara to the days of Marcia Brady, lavishing tresses with multiple brush-throughs was thought to make hair silkier.

Now:
A few strokes will distribute oil, detangle and eliminate strands ready to be shed, but the phrase "too much of a good thing" rings true here. Overbrushing can contribute to fraying and breakage. Just run a brush through your hair a few times when it needs a shape up. Also, consider investing in a brush with natural bristles, which hair gurus swear is most beneficial to the hair and scalp. Photo: Courtesy of ABC

In the 1970s, this hemorrhoid cream was used by many a model and was a staple in makeup artists' kits everywhere.

Now:
There's no scientific data to prove Preparation H works for anything other than its, ahem, intended purpose. Some users have complained of burning and irritation when using it in the sensitive eye area. And it's important to note that one of the active ingredients (a yeast derivative that claims to reduce puffiness) in the 1970s formula was taken out as a result of an FDA inquiry. Photo: Courtesy of amazon.com

Bleached-blond hair was fashionable in the '60s, made strides in the '70s (Sun-In, anyone?) and continued to pop up in '80s and '90s, thanks to punk, pop rock and grunge music. And for those who wanted the look but were wary of touching peroxide, lying out in the sun with lemon juice-soaked strands seemed the more natural way to go.

Squeezing lemons on your hair and sitting in the sun may lighten your locks, but the results are subtle at best—especially if you're a brunette. But the real problem is the dryness it can cause. The acid, plus the effects of the sun, can cause your hair to become brittle and break. Instead, ask your stylist for the most gentle highlights possible or try a color-depositing shampoo in a blond hue. Some companies have hair mascaras so you can paint on temporary streaks where you want them. Try Frédéric Fekkai Hi-Lights Hair Mascara. Photo: Retna